AKA has been awol for the better part of two years. Having endured what he’s described as the most testing period of his life, a period which included his fiancée Anele Tembe’s suicide, the 34-year-old rapper’s larger than life “Supa Mega” persona has often felt like a thing of the distant past.
But now, having long teased the idea of making a triumphant return through his upcoming album, “Mass Country”, AKA is showing signs of life.
The roll-out for the album began three weeks ago with the release of “Lemons (Lemonade)”, his long-awaited collaboration with Nasty C.
“Lemons”, a song about beating the odds and coming back stronger, which moves to the slow and sultry melody of its twinkling keys, is already primed to become his best performing single since 2018’s “Fela In Versace”.
In many ways, the new single sees him return to the peak of his musical powers with a tried and tested formula: a slick dance sample, slowed down tempo and those corny and playful lines that have come to define him post “Levels”.
AKA’s lyrics are not the story here; they haven’t been for a while. His talk of zipping up his Off-White up to his neck and other such lines are just for vibes — mere catchphrases meant to amuse and entertain.
That’s what he does these days and, as he explains to me, it’s the natural next phase of his musical journey. He’s no longer trying to rap circles around people, he’s just having fun.
“For me it really is a journey of your own character and your own life. But also sonically as you change as a person obviously your sonics are going to change and as your life changes your sonics are going to change.
“I mean, I dropped my first song with Entity in 2005, it’s 2022 now, so I’ve been making music for nearly 20 years, 20 years, bro.”
As time has gone on AKA says he’s made a conscious effort to put more of himself into his music.
“And when I say be more of myself I mean be more vulnerable, try less to impress people and I think I’m making better music cause I’m trying less and not as hard.
“At the start I was trying hard, I really needed you to give me the validation. Now I believe I’m the sensei now, you guys are gonna like what I give you.”
“Lemons” was released simultaneously with a music video directed by Nate Thomas. While the song is definitely worth a listen on its own, the vibrant “Jika Majika”-themed visuals take the entertainment value to a different level.
Looking back on the past two years and the testing times he’s been through, AKA credits Costa Titch for helping him find his feet.
“Shout out to Costa Titch because he was also instrumental in getting me to this point of just being able to get out in public again and start making music again.
“He was pushing me, ‘Come to the studio, get out of the house, let’s work’. Without that, there would be no this. So everything is a story.
“So for me when I decided to put this out I felt like we’ve put too much work into it… I said man there’s no way we can lose on this. Nasty C and AKA, fantastic new sound, fantastic lead single.”
With the song certified gold, and topping several charts, I ask him why he thinks it’s working so well.
“I think it’s landing because everybody loves a good comeback story. For the first time, I think I’m an underdog. I’m enjoying it.”
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